Chapter 14

Chapter 14

Ten minutes later, Kaias came in.

“You'll come with me, prince,” he said, pulling Salam up by the arm. “Time to put you to some good use.”

Ashira was left alone, worrying about her friend. She kept thinking of him as Salam, his minstrel alias, and not as Kirdan, the prince. Maybe he did not know she knew his secret. Maybe he did not know she was another steward.

She struggled to stand, then paced, trying to figure out a way to get out. She could feel the collarium around her neck. She had hated it last time she could not speak.

It came to her. She could take it off!

Ashira tried to recall what she had thought before the ring had fallen off in Iudes's residence.

I needed to write another note. Then I wanted this thing off my neck. Perhaps just commanding it will do the trick.

Get off my throat! She thought, focusing on the metal collar.

The warm tingling came to her neck again, and the ring fell from her neck.

“Oh,” she sighed, relieved to have gotten it off.

It occurred to her that she could have done that for Salam if she had remembered it sooner. She cursed her horrible memory.

Ashira's hands were still bound behind her. She tried to step through her arms to bring them around to he front, but the bindings were too high up her arms to make it. She looked around the tower room.

In one corner stood a stone table. There was a small window near the top of the room.

“Not much to work with,” she muttered.

She backed herself up to the stone table and closed her eyes, her hands touching the top. She pictured a chunk coming loose and falling on the floor near her. A thunk next to her foot told her it had happened, and she looked down at the head-sized rock. Sitting down carefully next to it, she put her hands around the chunk of stone. She closed her eyes again.

In her mind's eye, she imagined the rock shedding flakes until it resembled a dagger point stuck through the rock. She turned carefully and saw that it had indeed become such, flakes of stone covering the floor around it. She moved her arms closer to the newly formed blade and moved them up and down, trying to cut through the rope. She heard footsteps approaching outside, and positioned herself in front of the stone just as the young man entered. He did not look at her, but only set down a plate with a small bit of cheese and a hard biscuit, then left. She ignored the food for now and continued trying to remove the rope.

Ten minutes of struggling and the rope finally fell free. She pulled her arms around and stretched her shoulder muscles, which ached. She stood and approached the food. The biscuit was old and rock-hard. The cheese had spots of mold. She kicked the plate aside. Some hospitality for a senator of Camena, she thought.

She paced for a bit, deciding how to escape. She could manipulate the stone easily enough, she was certain. But once she got out, how would she escape the manor? Her dagger was still in the library, as far as she knew. And her flute, although she had it, was useless to her as something with which to cast magic.

She could wait until the servant came in, then take him hostage. But no, Kaias likely would not care if the young man died.

She could sneak through the manor, using a chunk of stone as her weapon. She approached the table, which now had a large hole in it. The rock was at her feet, the point sticking upward.

Or she could create a stone dagger.

She put her hand on the table again, closed her eyes, and imagined the stone falling away to reveal a replica of her dagger. When she opened her eyes, the stone had even turned the same colors. She grasped the hilt of her stone dagger and hefted it. It was much heavier than her real dagger, but she could wield it with two hands. She realized how much energy carving it had taken, and sat down for a few minutes.

The window let a few rays of sunshine through. She tried to see what time it was, but could not. She guessed it was around six in the evening. Sundown was only an hour away. She had to meet Ivarus in the West Plaza, but she had no idea where she was.

Ashira took a collarium from the peg on the wall. She pressed her hand against the wall next to the door. She could feel another person resting against the other side, the heat from his body emanating into the stone. She imagined the stone encompassing him, wrapping around his chest and arms and pinning him to the wall. She told the stone near him to split, and it did. She walked out onto the landing at the top of the spiral stairs. To her right was the young man, his chest and arms encased in stone. He was struggling to get free, but the stone held fast.

“Help!” he started calling out.

Ashira placed the ring around his neck, interrupting his shouts.

“Sorry,” she said, truly apologetic. She searched him, but her dagger was not there. She figured Mirari or Kaias must have taken it.

She turned and ran down the stairs, one hand holding tight to the hilt of the stone dagger. When she felt she was approaching the bottom, she slowed, cautious. She peeked quickly around the corner, but the corridor was empty. She stepped out and began to run quietly toward the end. The door to the library was on the right side. She had to pass it and turn left in order to go down the other corridor that led to the grand staircase.

She paused in front of it, trying to listen through the wood. She heard two men speaking. She closed her eyes and placed her hand on the stone wall next to the door.

“The ruins are far away from anywhere. The society will meet us there and we will perform the ritual, with the witch's help,” came Zagalis's voice through the stone.

“I see,” Mirari replied. “So once the prince has the relic, we'll take him and the girl to these ruins, then extract their powers?”

“Yes. I will take the powers to control both relics. Then I will be unstoppable.”

Ashira backed away from the door. Her foot caught on the rug behind her and she fell, grunting as she hit the stone floor. She stood quickly, preparing herself and stepping away once more.

Mirari opened the door and saw her.

She hefted the stone dagger with both hands. The maestro grinned evilly and raised her own dagger. Ashira struck first, her stone clashing against the metal. Mirari pushed her away and they stood facing each other.

“May the relic curse you, you evil slime!” she said angrily. She attacked again, but he knocked it aside easily.

“Seems your weapon is a bit heavy for you,” he said as she let the point rest on the ground for a second.

He began to advance on her. She backed away down the corridor, toward the tower stairs. Mirari began to sing a taunting tune, sneering at her.

“Little girl, so far from home, you've fallen for a trick. Little girl, so weak and frail, waving a little stone stick, surrender to my soothing voice, give up your little fight. Walk away back to your room and stay there for the night.”

Ashira felt the power of his words trying to affect her. She felt his will pressing against hers in her mind. She recalled the struggle with the man who had tried to kill Ivarus. She pushed back, resisting Mirari's will.

“I will not!” she said through clenched teeth.

She pushed harder and felt his will give way just a bit. In this state, she could sense all the stone around her, in the walls and the floor. She even felt the large stone that was Kaias's desk in the library.

Ashira stomped her foot, telling the stone below Mirari to shoot upward. It obeyed, ripping through the rug and launching the man back. Ashira felt his will break and she stepped forward.

“You will not control me! I am the stewardess of Celftsein.”

She commanded the stone to return, and it did. A large hole in the rug showed where the pillar had been. Mirari lay near the door to the library. Her dagger had flown from his hands, and lay a meter to his right. He sat up, dazed.

Ashira ran and took up her dagger, tossing aside the stone one. She held it to the maestro's neck. She felt her heart pounding and fury coursing through her.

“Encase this man completely,” she commanded the floor. Stone ripped through the rug once more, covering Mirari as he sat there. Within seconds the stone had enclosed him, matching his shape and features. It looked as though he had turned into stone himself.

She looked up and saw the open door to the library. She entered, but Zagalis had escaped.

Ashira turned away and walked down the corridor. She could feel the power of the rock all around her, begging to be used. She ignored it, walking down the grand marble staircase. A few servants who had heard the commotion stood to the sides and watched as the girl with the dagger walked to the door. She raised a hand and the doors opened, pulled by their metal handles.

The streets were still busy. People milled around, oblivious to who walked among them. Some eyed her weapon and shied away. Ashira sheathed her dagger and approached a man sitting on the ground against a building.

“Excuse me, sir,” she said. He looked up at her. “Can you direct me tot he West Plaza?”

“You're on the north side, dear,” he said. “You need to go toward the setting sun.” He pointed to the right. “Go that way to reach the nearest plaza. Take the road across from this one and follow it. It will take you to the west end.”

“Thank you,” she said, bowing slightly. She walked away, weary of those around her. Anytime she saw anyone with a hood, she avoided them, walking on the other side of the street.

She pondered what she had overheard. Kirdan was being used to steal the relic, while they planned on taking her and him to some ruins to perform a ritual that would strip them of their powers. Zagalis would control both relics. He would be unstoppable.

Ashira reached the first plaza. The sun was almost down, so she decided to run as much as possible. She made it through the crowd in the plaza and started running along the street beyond. Within ten minutes she had reached another plaza, but it was not as large as the one she needed to find. A vendor directed her toward the east. She ran to the next plaza.

Ivarus stood near the central fountain, waiting. He saw her coming from the west and looked confused.

“Why didn't you come from the east, from the coliseum?” he asked when she reached him. She caught her breath, then answered.

“I was captured by Mirari,” she said briefly.

“What?!”

“He was working with Kaias Celsis and Zagalis.”

“Was?”

“I killed him.”

Ivarus's eyes were big, showing his shock.

“I think you better come with me to the king.”

“The king?” she asked, then realized he was talking about Kirdan's father. “Oh, yes. I know about Kirdan's alias, by the way,” she said, following him.

“Keep your voice down,” he said fiercely. He looked around. “People don't know he goes out on his own masquerading as a minstrel.”

Ivarus led her through the crowds toward the castle. They reached the portcullis and Ivarus spoke with one of the guards. He let them through and they walked through the gardens. Ashira could smell the pine trees and hear birds singing. The high walls surrounding the castle blocked most of the noise of the city, and it was good to enjoy a bit of peace.

Ivarus and Ashira walked up the broad granite steps to the door of the castle. Four soldiers stood guard.

“Ivarus, back so soon?” one said.

“Yes. I must bring this woman to the king. She has information about the whereabouts of his son.”

“You know an appointment must be set up to see him,” said the one on the far right.

“I do. But Prince Kirdan has been kidnapped, and Ashira knows where he is and who did it. We must speak with the king,” Ivarus insisted.

“I'm letting them through,” said the one on the left. He pushed open the large door behind him.

“Fine. But it will be on your head, not mine,” said the rightmost one.

Ivarus and Ashira walked into the castle.

She gasped. The entrance hall was huge, reaching at least six stories up. Wide, polished granite stairs led up to a balcony overlooking the first floor. Massive stone columns held the roof far above, upon which was a large mural. She tried to see what the painting was. It seemed to tell a story, starting with a battle on one side and ending with a large glimmering city on the other.

“It shows the history of Camena, from the battle of Radunio, to the giving of the relic, through the many years and accomplishments, such as the building of the coliseum,” Ivarus explained. He walked over to a guard standing at the bottom of the stairs. Ashira did not hear what he said, but a moment later the guard walked away.

“We'll wait here for a few moments and he'll get approval to see the king.”

She nodded and continued to look around. The walls were stone, which had started to feel comforting to her. She was admiring a statue of a deer when Ivarus came back and beckoned for her to follow.

They walked down a wide corridor lined with statues, suits of armor, and paintings. Tall golden doors gleamed at the end. Two guards opened the doors, allowing the pair to walk through into the throne room.

Ashira expected to see the king sitting on the throne, but he was not. He was nowhere to be found. Ivarus kept walking, past the marble thrones, to a door behind. He opened it and let her go past.

A man in his mid-forties sat at a small wooden desk, dressed in a simply royal blue robe. The room smelled like the forest, with wood panels and hardwood floors. It was simple and rustic, and reminded Ashira of home. She felt homesick, realizing just how far away Arthoir and Clarris were.

“Your majesty, this is Ashira,” Ivarus introduced.

Ashira realized the man was the king, and curtsied deep.

“None of that, none of that,” the king said, standing and gesturing for her to stand up. I may be king, but I do not hold to such formalities.” He walked around the desk and took Ashira's hand, kissing the top of it. “Welcome to Aetheris, Ashira. I hope all had been well?”

She looked at Ivarus, who answered for her.

“Actually, no, sir. That's why I'm back.”

“No? Well, sit down and tell me,” he said, going back to his seat. Ashira and Ivarus sat across the desk from him. The wooden chairs had dark violet cushions and were very soft.

“Oh, pardon my manners,” the king said. “I am Kaion Tabernarius, King of Camena.” He smiled kindly. “No tell me, why has your stay not been good? Ivarus told me about my son being kidnapped, and I know about your journey from Premoi.”

Ashira looked at him. He was a slim man, about the same height as Kirdan, with hair parted to one side. She could tell that this was her friend's father.

“I was captured by Mirari,” she said shortly.

“Mirari? The Maestro? How do you mean 'captured'?” the king asked in surprise.

Ashira dropped all fear of being in the presence of royalty and began describing her experience upon reaching the coliseum. She finished with her escape from Kaias's manor.

The three of them sat in silence for a moment as Ivarus and Kaion pondered her story.

“So Mirari was a traitor. I guess he got what he deserved,” Kaion said. He sighed. “It's too bad, really. He was a brilliant man.”

“One thing I don't get,” Ivarus said. “Why did the guard at the coliseum say Zagalis had been brought into the city as an ambassador?”

Kaion looked at him with a raised eyebrow. “I'm certain you would figure it out if you gave it a bit more thought. There at Celfsteinian refugees that live here in Aetheris. They fled a few years ago after Zagalis came to power. We took them in and provided them places to live. Their resentment toward Zagalis would have surely driven them to do something drastic, even going so far as to attempt to assassinate him, had they known who it was being paraded through the streets. Kaias would not risk that.”

“But why even display him at all? Why not bring him in secretly?” Ashira asked.

Kaion looked at her.

“Do you know the current political situation here in Camena?” he asked.

“Sal- I mean, Kirdan mentioned some of it, but I don't remember very well.”

“I see you are still wanting to call him by his alias.

“Anyway, there are people here who want to see me dethroned. They are mostly senators and some judges. Why? For power. Kaias wants to take the throne, similar to what Zagalis has done in Celfstein. It seems he thinks that Zagalis, once he has all the relics, will be able to put him into this position. In the meantime, he has been trying to rally the people against me.

As we have been attacked by raiders from Chaelesta and Celfstein, Kaias has been lying to the populace, telling them we're under attack from Kadencia. Were I to say we are really under attack from the other two nations, he would jump on it and tell the people I am lying to raise up a standing army. He today published that the 'ambassadors' from Chaelesta and Celfstein are here to talk about forming an alliance to defend against Kadencia. This has gotten even more people to trust him, as they think he defending them against invaders. Really, he is lying to get them to not volunteer for military service. Now the people will think that we have the other two nations helping us, so they won't need to enlist. It's a nightmare, I'll tell you. My authority is being completely undermined. My subjects in Latena and Laritus have received no help from the raiding Chaelestans and Celfsteinians because nobody will sign up to help defend them. The small army we do have is being used to fortify other cities in case of attack.

“And then my son decides to wander off and gets himself kidnapped. I have not made it known, but do not be surprised if Kaias tells the public the prince is missing and blames it on my 'incompetence'.”

Ashira felt bad for the king. She felt his concern for his kingdom and his people, and she could see the frustration evident on his face that he could not help in some way.

“I wish there was some way for Kaias to be revealed for what he really is: a traitor,” Ivarus said.

“There will be a time eventually,” Kaion said. “He will slip up one way or another.”

“What about Kirdan?” Ashira asked. “They came and took him away. He may not even be at Kaias's manor anymore.”

“Did you hear anything about where they were going with him?”

Ashira tried to recall. She had overheard Mirari speaking with Zagalis in the study before Mirari attacked her, but she could not remember what was said.

“Maybe,” she said uncertainly. “I overheard Zagalis and Mirari, but I can't remember what was said. They mentioned me, though, as being part of a plan.”

Kaion looked at her, considering something.

“I have an idea, but if you don't want to do it, I understand,” said the king. He pulled a panel off his desk to reveal a large looking glass.

Ashira knew instantly what his idea was. Kaion saw the realization on her face.

“Like I said, you don't have to. But we can use it. Kirdan created it for me, just as he made one for Mirari. It is the same thing.”

Ashira got up her courage.

“I'll do it, as long as you promise me something,” she said. He nodded for her to continue. “Do not examine my emotions or any memory before Premoi.”

“I promise,” Kaion said. He stood and she mimicked. She looked into the glass and he began to hum.

Ashira felt herself falling into her eyes again.

She was back near the entrance to the Coliseum. She walked to the usher and spoke with him. She could feel another presence this time, but could see nobody, as though the person were standing just outside of her vision.

“It's me,” came Kaion's voice to her mind. “Don't worry. I'm just observing. I cannot affect anything.”

Ashira watched all of her memories unfold. Events happened just as they had earlier that day. She watched the symphony, then spoke with Mirari. She was inside the looking glass. She tried to save Verat, then ran from the maestro. Now she was in the study with Mirari and Kaias, then the tower with Kirdan. She knew the king was watching all of this, but did not mind. He needed to know exactly what had happened.

They reached the conversation and Ashira listened once again to what was said.

“The ruins are far away from anywhere. The society will meet us there and we will perform the ritual, with the witch's help,” came Zagalis's voice.

“I see,” Mirari replied. “So once the prince has the relic, we'll take him and the girl to these ruins, then extract their powers?”

“Yes. I will take the powers to control both relics. Then I will be unstoppable.”

Ashira tripped on the rug again. She knew she was about to kill Mirari, but she let the king see. He needed to know everything he could.

“Your majesty,” came a voice to her mind. It sounded urgent. “Sir! Your majesty!”

Ashira found herself sitting on the violet chair once more. Kaion stood on the other side of the table, and Ivarus was next to her. A castle soldier stood near the desk.

“Sir,” he said. Kaion looked at him. The soldier looked a bit nervous as he spoke his news. “Prince Kirdan has taken the relic from the treasury, sir.”